The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…

¶ How a true member of Christs Church sinneth not, and how he is yet a sinner.

¶ How a true member of Christes Church sinneth not, and how he is yet a sinner.

1. 11. John. 3.1. Iohn. 3.
2. 2Faith and sin can not •a•d together.Fayth and sinne can not •a•d together.

And yet every member of Christs congregation is a sinner and sinneth daily, some more and some less. For it is written. i. John. i. if we say we have ¹no sin, we deceive our selves & the truth is not in us. And again if we say, we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. And Paul Rom. vij. saith, that good which I would, that do I not, but that evil which I would not, that do I. So it is not I that do it (saith he) but sin that dwelleth in me. Thus are we sinners and no sinners. No sinners, if thou look unto the profession of our hearts toward the law of God, on our repentance and sorrow that we have, both because we have sinned and also because we be yet full of sin still, and unto the promises of mercy in our Saviour Christ, and unto our faith. Sinners are we, if thou look unto the frail ²tie of our flesh, which is as the weakness of one that is newly recovered out of a great disease, by y• reason where of our deeds are imperfect. And by the reason whereof also, when occasions be great, we fall into horrible deeds, and the fruit of the sin which remaineth in our members breaketh out. Notwithstanding yet the spirit leaveth us not, but rebuketh us & bringeth us home again unto our profession, so that we never cast of the yoke of God from our necks neither yield up our selves unto sin, for to serve it, but fight a fresh and begin a new battle.

And yet euery member of Christes congregation is a sinner and synneth dayly, some more and some lesse. For it is written. i. Iohn. i. if we say we haue ¹no sinne, we deceaue our selues & the truth is not in vs. And agayne if we say, we haue not sinned, we make hym a liar and his word is not in vs. And Paul Rom. vij. sayth, that good which I would, that do I not, but that euill which I would not, that do I. So it is not I that do it (sayth he) but sinne that dwelleth in me. Thus are we sinners and no sinners. No sinners, if thou looke vnto the profession of our hartes toward the law of God, on our repentaunce and sorow that we haue, both because we haue sinned and also because we be yet full of sinne still, and vnto the promises of mercy in our Sauiour Christ, and vnto our fayth. Sinners are we, if thou loke vnto the frail

¶ How a Christen man can not err, and how he may yet err.

¶ How a Christen man can not erre, and how he may yet erre.

And as they sin not, so they err not. And on the other side as they sin, so they err: but never unto death and damnation. For they never sin of purpose nor hold any error maliciously, sinning against the holy ghost, but of weakness & infirmity. As good obedient children, though they love their fathers commandments, yet break them oft, by the reason of their weakness. And as they can not yield them selves bond unto sin, to ¹serve it: even so they can not err in any thing that should be against the promises which are in Christ. And in other things their errors be not unto damnation, though they be never so great, because they hold them not maliciously. As now, if some when they read in the new Testament of Christs brethren, would think that they were our Ladies children after the birth of Christ, because they know not the use of speaking of the Scripture or of the Hebrews, how that •ye kinsmen be called brethren, or haply they might be Josephs children, by some first wife, neither can have any to teach him for tyranny that is so great, yet could it not hurt him, though he dyed therein, because it hurteth not the redemption that is in Christs blood. For though she had none but Christ, I am therefore never the more saved, neither yet the less, though she had had. And in such like ²an hundred that pluck not a mans faith from Christ, they might err, and yet be nevertheless saved no though the contrary were written in the Gospel. For as in other sins, as soon as they be rebuked, they repent: even so here, as soon as they were better taught, they should immediately knowledge their error and not resist.

ANd as they sinne not, so they erre not. And on the other side as they sinne, so they erre: but neuer vnto death and damnation. For they neuer sinne of purpose nor hold any errour maliciously, sinnyng against the holy ghost, but of weakenesse & infirmitie. As good obedient childrē, though they loue their fathers commaundements, yet breake them oft, by the reason of their weakenesse. And as they can not yeld them selues bond vnto sinne, to ¹serue it: euē so they can not erre in any thyng that should be agaynst the promises which are in Christ. And in other thynges their errours be not vnto damnation, though they be neuer so great, because they hold them not maliciously. As now, if some when they read in the new Testament of Christs brethren, would thinke that they were our Ladyes children after the byrth of Christ, because they know not the vse of speakyng of the Scripture or of the Hebrues, how that ye kinsinē be called brethren, or happely they might be Iosephes children, by some first wife, neither can haue any to teach him for tyrāny that is so great, yet could it not hurte him, though he dyed therein, because it hurteth not the redēption that is in Christes bloud. For though she had none but Christ, I am therfore neuer the more saued, neither yet ye lesse, though she had had. And in such lyke

But they which maliciously maintain opinions against the Scripture, or that that can not be proved by the Scripture, or such as make no matter unto the Scripture and salvation that is in Christ whether they be true or no, and for the blind zeal of them make sects, breaking yt unity of Christs Church, for whose sake they ought to suffer all thing, and rise against their neighbours, whom they ought to love as ¹them selves, to sle• them (such men I say are fallen from Christ and make an Idol of their opinions. For except they put trust in such opinions and thought them necessary unto salvation, or with a cankered conscience went about to deceive, for some filthy purpose, they would never break the unity of faith or yet slay their brethren. Now is this a plain conclusion, that both they that trust in their own works, ⟨p. 259⟩and they also that put confidence in their own opinions, be fallen from Christ and err from the way of faith that is in Christs blood, & therefore are none of Christs Church, because they be not built upon the rock of faith.

But they which maliciously maynteine opinions agaynst the Scripture, or that yt cā not be proued by the Scripture, or such as make no matter vnto the Scripture and saluation that is in Christ whether they be true or no, and for the blind zeale of them make sectes, breakyng yt vnitie of Christes Church, for whose sake they ought to suffer all thyng, and rise agaynst their neighbours, whom they ought to loue as ¹them selues, to sle• them (such men I say are fallen from Christ and make an Idole of their opinions. For except they put trust in such opinions and thought them necessarie vnto saluatiō, or with a cankred conscience went about to deceaue, for some filthy purpose, they would neuer breake the vnitie of fayth or yet slea their brethren. Now is this a playne conclusion, that both they yt trust in their own works, ⟨p. 259⟩and they also yt put confidence in theyr owne opinions, be fallen from Christ and erre from the way of fayth that is in Christes bloud, & therfore are none of Christes Church, because they be not built vpon the rocke of fayth.

¶ Faith is ever assailed and fought with all.

¶ Fayth is euer assayled and fought with all.

Moreover this our faith which we have in Christ, is ever fought against, ¹ever assailed & beaten at with besperation: not when we sin only, but also in all temptations of adversity, into which God bringeth us, to nurture us, and to show us our own hearts, the hypocrisy & false thoughts that there lye hid, our almost no faith at all, and as little love, even then haply when we thought our selves most perfect of all. For when temptations come we can not stand, when we have sinned faith is feeble, when wrong is done us we can not forgive, in sickness, in loss of goods and in all tribulations we be impatient: when our neighbour needeth our help, that We must depart with him of ours then love is cold.

MOreouer this our fayth which we haue in Christ, is euer fought agaynst, ¹euer assayled & beaten at with besperation: not when we sinne only, but also in all temptations of aduersitie, into which God bringeth vs, to nurtour vs, and to shew vs our owne hartes, the hipocrisie & false thoughtes that there lye hid, our almost no fayth at all, and as little loue, euen thē haply when we thought our selues most perfect of all. For when temptations come we can not stand, when we haue sinned fayth is feeble, when wrong is done vs we can not forgeue, in sickenesse, in losse of goodes and in all tribulations we be impatient: when our neighbour needeth our helpe, that We must depart with hym of ours then loue is colde.

1. 1Faith is ever assailed with besperation.Faith is euer assailed with besperation.

And thus we learn and feel that there is no goodness nor yet power to do good, but of God only. And in all ¹such temptations our faith perisheth not utterly, neither our love and consent unto the law of God. But they be weak, sick, and wounded, and not clean dead. As a good child whom the father & mother have taught nurture and wisdom, loveth his father ²and all his commandments, and perceiveth of yt goodness showed him, that his father loveth him, and that all his fathers precepts are unto his wealth and profit, and that his father commandeth him nothing for any need that his father hath thereof, but seeketh his profit only, and therefore hath a good faith unto all his fathers promises, and loveth all his commandments, and doth them with good will, & with good will goeth to school. And by the way haply he seeth company play, and with the sight is taken and ravished of his memory, and forgetteth himself, and standeth and beholdeth and falleth to play also, forgetting father and mother, all their kindness, all their laws, and his own profit thereto. Howbeit, the knowledge of his fathers kindness, the faith of his promises, and the love that he hath again unto his father, and the obedient mind are not utterly quenched, but lye hid, as all things do when a man sleepeth or lieth in a trance. And as soon as he hath played out all his lusts ³or be warned in the mean season, he cometh again unto his old profession. Never the later, many temptations go over his hart, and the law as a right hangman tormenteth his conscience, and goeth nigh to persuade him that his father will cast him away and hang him if he ketch him, so that he is like a great while to run a way rather then to return unto his father again. Fear and dread of rebuke, & of loss of his fathers love and of punishment wrestle with the trust which he hath in his fathers goodness, and as it were give his faith a fall. But it riseth again as soon as the rage of the first brunt is past and his mind more quiet. And the goodness of his father, and his old kindness cometh unto ⁴remembrance, either of his own courage or by the comfort of some other. And he believeth that his father will not cast him away or destroy him, and hopeth that he will no more do so.

And upon that he getteth him home, dismayed. But not altogether faithless. The old kindnesses will not let him despair. Howbeit, all the world cannot set his ha•t at rest, until the pain be past, and until he have heard the voice of his father that all is forgiven.

And vpō that he getteth him home, dismayed. But not altogether faythlesse. The olde kindnesses will not let him dispayre. Howbeit, all the world cannot set his ha•t at rest, vntyll the payne be past, and vntill he haue heard the voyce of his father that all is forgeuen.

¶ The manner and order of our election.

¶ The maner and order of our election.

Even so goeth it with Gods elect. God chooseth them first, and they not God, as thou readest John. xv. And ¹then he sendeth forth and calleth them, and showeth them his good will which he beareth unto them, and maketh them see both their own damnation in the law, and also the mercy that is laid up for them in Christs blood, and thereto what he will have them do. And ²then when we see his mercy, we love him again, and choose him and submit our selves unto his laws to walk in them. For when we err not in wit, reason and judgement of things, we can not err in will and choice of things. The choice of a mans will doth naturally and of her own accord follow the judgement of a mans reason, whether he judge right or wrong. So that in teaching only resteth the pith ⟨p. 260⟩of a mans living. How be it, there be swine that receive no learning but to defile it. And there be dogs that rent all good learning with their teeth. And there be Pope holy, which following a righteousness of their own feigning, resist the righteousness of God in Christ. And there be that cannot attend to hearken unto the truth for rage of lusts, which when lusts abate, come and obey well enough.

EVen so goeth it with Gods electe. God chuseth thē first, and they not God, as thou readest Iohn. xv. And ¹then he sendeth forth and calleth them, and sheweth them his good wil which he beareth vnto them, and maketh thē see both their owne damnation in the lawe, and also the mercy that is layde vp for them in Christes bloude, and therto what he wil haue them do. And ²then when we see his mercy, we loue him agayne, and chuse him and submit our selues vnto his lawes to walke in them. For when we erre not in wit, reason and iudgement of thynges, we can not erre in will and choyse of thinges. The choyse of a mans will doth naturally and of her owne accorde follow the iudgement of a mans reason, whether he iudge right or wrong. So that in teaching onely resteth the pyth

And therefore a Christen man must ¹be patient and suffer long to win his brother to Christ, that he which attendeth not to day, may receive grace & hear to morrow, we see some at their very latter end, when cold fear of death hath quenched the heat of their appetites, learn & consent unto the truth, whereunto before they could give none care, for the wild rages of lusts that blinded their wits.

And therefore a Christen man must ¹be patient and suffer long to win his brother to Christ, yt he which attēdeth not to day, may receaue grace & heare to morowe, we see some at their very latter ende, when colde feare of death hath quenched the heate of their appetites, learne & consent vnto the truth, wherunto before they could geue none care, for the wylde rages of lustes that blynded their wittes.

1. 1Christian men must be patient.Christian mē must be patient.

And though Gods elect can not so fall that they rise not again, because that the mercy of God ever waiteth ¹upon them, to deliver them from evil, as the care of a kind father waiteth upon his son, to warn him and to keep him from occasions, and to call him back again if he be gone to far: yet they forget themselves ofttimes, & sink down into trances and fall a sleep in lusts for a season. But as soon as they be awaked they repent & come again without resistance. God now and then withdraweth his hand and leaveth them unto their own strength, to make them feel that there is no power to do good but of God only, lest they should be proud of that which is none of theirs. God laid so sore a weight of persecution upon Davids back that ²passed his strength to bear. So that he cried oft out of his Psalms, saying that he had lived well and followed the right way of God in vain. For the more he kept him self from s•nne, the worse it went with him, as he thought, and the better with his enemy Saul, the worse he was. Yet God left him not there, but comforted him & showed him things which before he wist not ³of, how that the Saints must be patient and abide Gods havest, until the wickedness of ungodly sinners be full ripe, that God may ripe it in dew season.

And though Gods elect can not so fall that they rise not agayne, because that the mercy of God euer wayteth ¹vpon them, to deliuer them from euil, as the care of a kynde father wayteth vppon his sonne, to warne him and to keepe hym from occasions, and to call him backe againe if he be gonne to far: yet they forget themselues ofttymes, & sinke downe into traunces and fall a slepe in lustes for a season. But assoone as they be awaked they repent & come agayne without resistaunce. God now and thē withdraweth his hand and leueth them vnto their own strength, to make thē feele that there is no power to do good but of God onely, lest they shuld be proude of that which is none of theirs. God layd so sore awaight of persecution vpp•n Dauids backe that ²